The Archaeological Society of Alexandria
2013
Directed by Raymond Collet and André Pelle
Collection The Skills of Archaeology
On the 7th April 1893, a group of Alexandrians were gathered in the home of Sir Charles Cookson, the Consul General of Great Britain. The reason for the meeting was to discuss the founding of an archaeological society, to watch over the various ancient monuments spread around the town and to raise awareness amongst the general public about Alexandria’s glorious history and heritage. Some 60 years earlier, the Oriental Society had been created to promote the study of archaeology. This project rapidly led to the founding of the Egyptian Society, whose greatest success had been the opening of a library for voyagers visiting Alexandria. The Egyptian Institute, founded 20 years later, was transferred to Cairo in 1880 It took several decades before a new society was born: the Athenaeum. Its aims were to found a museum that would protect the treasures of the city. The Graeco-Roman Museum would open its doors to the public one year later. The Archaeological Society of Alexandria was founded on the 7th April 1893, as a replacement for the Athenaeum.